


Red Smile

by Ultimatedaywriter



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Character Death, Dungeon, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Other, Religious Conflict, Video Game Mechanics, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24845035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultimatedaywriter/pseuds/Ultimatedaywriter
Summary: He was never more sure of himself than when he slipped his knife across his own throat. When he woke up in a room full of other people who arrived by similar means he was less sure. It wasn't until the wizard floated into the room that he knew he'd made a terrible mistake. Lemons MA and DEATH





	1. Where Did All This Blood Come From?

Nero’s first thought upon waking was that he’d been abducted and possibly thrown into a padded room. While struggling to rise to his feet he realized, his arms were noodles and his muscles were plastic. Ok, that was one for his padded room theory, he could be drugged. He’d never felt that frail, a light breeze could shatter him. Nero’s hands grappled with the ground searching for some answer. The ground was hot to the touch with grooves etched into the ground. A blast of scalding heat forced him to pull back his hand.   
The room stank of sulfur. The longer he stayed her the more his memories of the night before crept in. He felt at his throat. There wasn’t any pain. He didn’t feel a scar or the massive gap that should have been there. Only a sticky mess was left for proof of his sin. He must be in hell. Nero tried to open his eyes but was blinded by a blue light. So, he kept his eyes shut. Not that he was in a hurry to see the fire a brimstone to match the sulfur smell. 

It was time to check stock. He found his knife, smartphone, and wireless earphones. Nero blinked his eyes rapidly while forcing them open to hasten his adjustment to the harsh light. The pain was intense but eventually everything became clear. Just below him was a five-pointed star. It was the source of the harsh light that blinded him. Out of his pocket he pulled free a letter he found on his fridge the morning before. He didn’t read it there wasn’t a need not here. 

There was something he had to know. He opened his knife and saw it was streaked with blood. She left him with the papers. She quit her job. He was living in his truck. There was only one way out. He didn’t cry for himself. He wouldn’t give them that. Nero closed the knife that had taken three lives. 

This must have been the afterlife. He was here to be sentenced. Well he wasn’t going to his hearing on his knees. That was easier said than done.   
He wasn’t a geriatric, but his body thought he was. Getting up was still a struggle. Either the gravity was higher, or his bones had been replaced with cookie dough. Those were the explanations he preferred when standing to his feet felt like squatting 600 pounds. Maybe it was another side effect of slashing his own throat. 

He looked to the side to see a girl struggling on her pentagram with a rope burn around her neck. It slowly faded before his eyes going from a horrible purple, to yellow, and finally back to normal skin. She opened her mouth and sucked in a whimpering breath. 

“Are you alright?” Nero turned his eye to see someone step off their pentagram and help the girl up. 

“Why are you just standing there? She needed help.” Nero noticed the man wore a soaking wet military uniform. He couldn’t help but wonder why the man chose drowning of all the ways to go. Was it so he could change his mind? Well what did it matter he was here too. 

“My name is Nero and I cut my own throat. What your name and how did you off yourself?” The girl gasped and the guy in the uniform glared with growing anger. Then he saw dried blood. Nero watched for the moment when it clicked with glee. 

“My name is Sara Lee, I hung myself.” She said with a gravelly voice. The man glared down at his shoes. Nero noticed some bits of gravel and cement on the man’s shoes. 

“Jack Stone, I drowned.” Jack said. More people started to wake up. Some had cut wrists slowly closing, others had shattered bodies that took much longer. There were piles of ash that didn’t move. 

Sliding doors opened revealing a floating man dressed in robes. A book hovered beside him. No cross or religious item adorned the man’s body. Only a blue pentagram dangled from a staff clutched in his hand. A trimmed beard adorned his chin and his hair was combed back. The man observed them, and Nero observed the man. This man was most likely the one who summoned them. 

“Some of you are too broken to recover in time.” The man grumbled. He waved his hand and the ashes blew in the wind. The glowing pentagrams under the worst of the suicide victims winked out. 

Jack ran from his left. He crossed the distance of three people. 

“Be paralyzed.” Jack froze and plowed into another person. “Now stand.” Jack was made to get back up to his feet. His foundation was sand. His body protested and the strain bulged his eyes. When his face turned red Nero knew Jack wasn’t breathing. 

“What is thy bidding master?” Nero yelled. It was a gamble but then again, he loved to gamble. He was crazy enough to marry in the current year. 

The man in charge more than likely a wizard turned to him. “Obedience, well it’s a start. Jack Stone breathe and be healed. I’d rather not waste a trained soldier.” A few of the women moved off their platforms to hide behind the largest guys in the room. 

“You’ve died and no longer belong to your world. I own your lives now.” Everyone but the wizard stumbled backwards and fell. The building was moving. “When we reach our destination, you will enter the dungeon Sithia and eliminate the abnormality. If you succeed, then I’ll grant you a year of freedom before your next assignment.” First, there was no way he would give them any reward. Nero understood that from the start. The question was why them? Healing a bunch of suicide victims couldn’t be cost effective. 

He had no idea how or why they were brought here. There were more questions than answers. He’d have to wait until they arrived at their location. Then there was the question of the dungeon. Anywhere this guy sent them must be dangerous. There was no way they weren’t going to die in droves. 

“Those of you who passed with your smartphones will enjoy an upgrade that even wizards of great houses would be jealous of. There are some things that come with you even in death.” The wizard chuckled at his own joke. 

Nero pulled out his phone and watched it float off his palm. Lines of data traveled over the screen and a new apps appeared. Skill book, attributes, and Equipment flashed upon his screen then it scanned him before running data. 

Nero Invictus lvl1

DEFENSE: 3.09  
HEALTH: 10.2  
MANA: 10.1  
EXHAUSTION: 0.1%

HP 10.2 MP 10.1  
ATK 3.1 DEF 3.1  
SATK 1.01 SDEF 1.01  
SPD 1.01 ACC 1.01  
FORTUNE 1.01

STATISTICS  
HEIGHT: 5’10”  
WEIGHT: 210

WEAPON   
Life Taker I lvl1: +1VIT x Knife lvl – Increase the level of Life Taker by dealing killing blows to enemies who have damaged you first. Effect1: Death Link – ATK = VIT x Knife lvl. Effect2: Life Drink – Recover health from damage inflicted on enemies.   
GEAR  
Death Clothes I lvl1: + 1VIT x clothing lvl – Increase the level of Death Clothes by spilling your blood. Can wear armor over clothes. Effect: Blood Shield – DEF = VIT x Clothing lvl.  
Description – A pair of stretchy jeans, heavy black boots, a blood-spattered white t-shirt, a bloody handkerchief covering the face, and a long red Chinese style cape he’d ordered on wish. 

ATTRIBUTES   
Constitution 1 – +1% DEF x CON +0.1 CON for every CON related skill acquired and their level. Once 100CON is reached something interesting will happen. 

VITALITY 2 – +1% HP x VIT +0.1 VIT for every VIT related skill acquired and their level. Once 100VIT is reached something interesting will happen. 

STRENGTH 1 – +1% ATK x STR +0.1 STR for every STR related skill acquired and their level. Once 100STR is reached something interesting will happen. 

DEXTERITY 1 – +1% ACC x DEX +0.1 DEX for every DEX related skill acquired and their level. Once 100DEX is reached something interesting will happen. 

Agility 1 – +1% SPD x AGL +0.1 AGL for every AGL related skill acquired and their level. Once 100AGL is reached something interesting will happen. 

Magic 1 – +1% MP x MAG +0.1 MAG for every MAG related skill acquired and their level. Once 100MAG is reached something interesting will happen. 

Intelligence 1 – +1% SATK x INT +0.1 INT for every INT related skill acquired and their level. Once 100INT is reached something interesting will happen. 

Wisdom 1 – +1% SDEF x WIS +0.1 WIS for every WIS related skill acquired and their level. Once 100WIS is reached something interesting will happen. 

Luck 1 – +1% FORTUNE x LUK +0.1 LUK for every LUK related skill acquired and their level. Once 100LUK is reached something interesting will happen. Luck 1 – +1% FORTUNE x LUK +0.1% FORTUNE for every LUK related skill acquired and their level. Once 100LUK is reached something interesting will happen. 

STORED ITEMS  
Skill Dice to choose 1 attribute 1D100  
Stat Dice to 2D6

Of all the choices he could make he decided that vitality was the way to go. It was the easiest way to higher defense, and it made sense. Nero tapped the skill dice and a choice for every attribute appeared. He chose vitality. 

Vitality Attribute Dice Roll   
45  
Skill awarded: Regeneration   
Regeneration I lvl1 – Passively heal from light to medium wounds at the cost of EXHAUSTION.   
UPDATED   
VIT 3.1   
HP 10.31  
ATK 3.2  
DEF 3.2  
Something red slipped over his skin and he felt the fillings in his mouth heat up painfully. He shook a little before it ended. 

“Hey, are you really going to follow everything that freak says.” Nero looked over to see a preacher holding a cross in his hand. 

“I guess this isn’t the afterlife you wanted either.” Nero said. He tapped his skill dice and felt two six-sided dice and watched them roll on the screen. 

“He could be the devil trying to lead us astray.” The preacher said. “I’m Reverend Julius of the evangelists church of Christ.” 

“Nero, atheist, murderer, and I’m going to follow the rules. I didn’t see you jumping to defend Jack while he was paralyzed. What’s wrong too scared of the devil to act?” Nero asked. 

“I see you’ve been led astray. If you welcome Jesus in your heart he will forgive you.” Nero didn’t know if god or devils had anything to do with it. He did know that the reverend killed himself just like the rest of them. Where was his god when he struggled with the decision? 

“I think this is all just a drug fueled delusion. None of you are real your all part of my imagination.” A lanky guy said behind them. 

“What your name and how did you die?” Nero asked. 

“My name is Francis Montgomery and didn’t you hear me I’m not dead.” Nero thought the guy would probably die first. Some of the people stopped what they were doing on their phones. He marked them as dead too. It was difficult to decide whether it was better to coax them into living or let them die. 

“What are you doing? This is very real. If you don’t take advantage of what resources, you have you’ll all die.” Jack yelled. 

Sara Lee hung behind Jack reading over the stats with a pensive look on her face.   
Stat Dice Roll: 4, 5 = 9 

Nero slammed four points into vitality, three in agility, and two in strength.   
Update:   
HP 10.71  
ATK 7.311   
DEF 7.171  
SPD 1.04

It wasn’t long after he placed his stats that everyone stumbled forward. They had arrived at their destination.


	2. Into The Dungeon

Sometimes it’s the stupid people that teach the most. Nero walked with the others down a long hallway to their destination. The wizard led from the front his back turned to them. One of the guys who cut his wrist walked closest to the wizard clutching a knife. The pensive look on the guy’s face and the way he kept looking around spoke volumes. 

The guy didn’t want to be the first to attack the wizard but couldn’t find a better opportunity. It was obvious that their lives weren’t worth shit once they entered the dungeon. Texts flashed over their phones and numbers were passed out. It says something when everyone in their little group died with their phone. Their smartphones were a part of them. Nero knew that even death couldn’t separate him from his smartphone. 

“Hey, is that archer on your shirt?” Nero asked. 

“Yea, he’s one of my favorite characters. He gave up everything to be a hero forever. I’ve always wanted to be like him. That’s how I died. I was trying to be a hero. Some rioters attacked a little girl. All I had was my hunting knife. After I killed them, I was arrested for second degree murder. I was able to hang myself to avoid prison.” 

“Wow, you sure are a hero. Well we’re all counting on you.” Nero said. “Maybe you’ll find the gear in the dungeon to be like archer for real.” Markus nodded solemnly and checked his messages. 

He could see the messages fill Markus’s screen. 

“Do it.”   
“Come on you can do it?”   
“I’ll let you touch me if you do it.”   
“I’ll give him a blowjob.”   
“He can have my ass if he kills this guy.”   
“Come on pussy do it.” 

Markus was a shaking wreck. The knife was out and wobbling in his hand. Nero made it a point to take a step back. He sent his message to Markus too. 

“Go ahead, we’ll all treat you to a beer after this, Archer.” Nero wondered if his text held the contempt he felt. 

“You pussy do it.”   
“His back is turned you’ve got this.” 

Markus took a step forward, his shaking stopped, and the knife flew forward smooth. The guy slipped into an impressive form. He kept only his shoulder exposed minimizing himself as a target. 

This world didn’t follow the same rules as earth. A knife in the back would kill most on earth. This wasn’t earth. 

The blade melted in his hand falling back on his arm and burning him down to the bone before falling onto the ground. Nero wasn’t watching the arm; he saw a strange symbol that flashed a second before the knife melted. It appeared for only a blink. He opened an art app on his phone and quickly wrote the symbol while it was fresh. 

Then the wizard turned around his face unreadable. His eyes glanced over Markus’s maimed arm. He shook his head. 

“With that arm you won’t survive on your own. You’ll become a burden to you party and the parties around you. I’ll allow you all to vote. Shall I kill this liability or will you care for him. Vote now.” 

A new contact appeared in his phone and he hit accept. The pole appeared and he voted to save Markus. The wizard spoke again. 

“If you don’t vote, I’ll punish you for noncompliance.” The wizard said. 

“Why do you care? We’re slaves, aren’t we?” Jack yelled. Nero turned his head to see the still damp soldier standing in front of Sara Lee. He hoped they would survive. 

“There is no one in this room who is free.” The wizard proclaimed. Nero wasn’t sure if it was a clever ploy to build some camaraderie or the truth. He’d prefer to a lie a shadowy master using slaves to control slaves. 

Markus wasn’t a good-looking man. He had a hook nose, some scarring, and he was bald. To make matters worse he was obese. To make matters worse he couldn’t use his right arm anymore and would be a liability. 

The women in the group glared at Markus. The kill poll increased rapidly. He’d failed them and they had no compassion. He sent another message. 

“It seems your going to get the hero treatment after all.” Nero said. He never thought Markus could succeed but he learned a lot from this incident. 

“The polls are in. You have voted to execute your hero for failing. I hope all of you learn from this, don’t be a hero.” The wizard said. 

“Master is it possible to forestall Markus’s execution.” Nero asked. The wizard paused for a moment. 

“The vote was fair. He has been judged by his peers to be deserving of death.” The wizard said. 

“Then let those who have judged pass the sentence.” Nero stared into the eyes of the wizard and felt his heart tremble. This man was too powerful. He could sense some overwhelming power roll off the wizard in a lazy fashion. 

“No,” The wizard said. 

“Markus Green die.” Markus’s eyes bulged out of his skull and he stopped breathing. The wizard turned his back on them and floated forward. 

Markus reached out to him. With his good arm he tried to find help in his fellow people, but they were the ones who killed him. Even Nero wanted to see what would happen. He pulled his knife out. 

“What are you doing Nero?” Jack asked. 

He took a step forward and stabbed between Markus’s ribs. His knife found the heart easily enough. It remembered how. He pulled the knife back covered in more blood. He flipped it closed and and shut Markus’s eyes. 

From the darkness a flesh hand reached out and pulled Markus’s body into the shadows. Nero turned to see the wizard staring. 

“Even here the dungeon’s grip reaches. Few of you will survive this cycle.” The wizard said. 

Nero kept his head down and turned away from the wizard. He pocketed his knife and prepared to leave. 

“What’s wrong show me the respect I deserve? I am your master after all.” The wizard said. 

“Was this your test all along to see how far the dungeon’s reach extended?” The rest of the group walked on following the wizard deaf to the conversation. 

“Is this an astral projection?” Nero asked. 

“No merely a temporary simulacrum crafted with little preparation. It only contains a tenth of my magical might. Still its tens of thousands of times more powerful than you.” The wizard said. 

“If your so power then why don’t they send you to defeat the abnormality in the dungeon?” Nero asked. 

“You really should be afraid of me. With only a word, I can kill you. Besides you killed Markus more surely than the others. Rarely have I seen such a conniving outsider. You’d fit in well in a wizard’s academy.” The wizard smiled then frowned. He shook his head for a moment. 

“Prepare yourself this dungeon is powerful. If I could enter it myself then there would be no need for any of you.” The wizard said. 

The simulacrum vanished and Nero turned to see Francis. He was leaning against a pillar just out of sight but well within hearing range. 

“I have such fucked up dreams when I’m high. So, what do you think we’re going to fight down below? Goblins, zombies, or maybe aliens this is going to be fun.” Francis asked. 

“Does it matter? You didn’t assign any of your stats or select a skill.” Francis punch the air and Nero felt a powerful force knock him back on his ass. His eyes widened in shock while Francis approached. 

“It is called Force Palms. When I hit the air my blows travel. It barely takes any Exhaustion at all to use.” Nero already felt the bruise forming on his stomach receding. The pain subsided a moment after that. Instead of getting up he remained on the ground and groaned in pain. The attack had cut through his defenses. Did it bypass defense?” 

He let Francis help him to his feet. Nero wondered how quickly he could get his knife out and slip it between Francis’s ribs. For a moment when they met eyes, he knew they would kill each other someday. But that isn’t today. They made their way back to the group and passed into the antechamber leading to the dungeon entrance. 

A massive gate stood closed. Depictions of skeletons in worship to some throne were etched on the door. He froze when he saw it. A feeling of doom crept into his bones upon seeing the throne. Many looked away from the doors instead of letting the feeling of doom creep into them. Nero pulled out his knife and prepared himself for a what was to come. 

The throne lit up crimson and blood flowed down the steps leading to the skeletons below. When the blood touched them, they grew flesh anew. A crimson light appeared in the seam of the door and it crept open.   
“Remember just reach the fifth fourth floor and defeat the boss and you may leave. All of you that survive will receive a year of freedom to travel the world and grow.” The wizard announced. Nero looked up at the wizard. The man had summoned them here for this purpose and would leave them. It was possible he’d simply summon another group and try again until there was a success. He didn’t really know what was going on. 

“Nero why don’t you stay with us. We can watch each other’s back in the dungeon.” Sara Lee suggested. Nero nodded slowly and joined their group. 

“Do you have room for one more?” Francis asked. 

“Sure, but I thought you said this wasn’t real?” Sara asked. 

“It isn’t but with any dream you have to follow it through.” Francis said. Nero looked over to Jack and Sara neither looked too pleased to have Francis with them. 

“Lets party up.” Jack grumbled. He hit a few buttons on his device and the message was sent out. They accepted entry into the party. 

“Let’s do our best.” Sara said. Nero rolled his eyes and opened his knife. 

After entering the dungeon, the doors shut closed behind them. They turned the on the light of their phones and walked down the halls. They traveled down the long hall before they saw a corpse on the ground. He was decked out in chainmail, plate, and stabbed a sword into a boulder beside him. 

“Look at this shit.” Francis said. On the wall beside the corpse was etching in the stone. 

“There is no food on this floor or any floor. The only thing to eat in this place is leather or each other. Kill yourself now or be damned. 

“I knew it he led us into hell. Give yourself to christ or be damned.” The priest called out. 

“I can’t do this anymore.” He heard the shout and turned his head. A woman held the sword to her throat. Jack had already covered half the distance. Before he could save her, a powerful hand pulled her away. 

“We aren’t having any of that. We’ll survive and get through this.” The large man looked up and nodded to Jack. “I’m Leeroy Brown nice to meet you. You’re Jack Stone right.” Nero turned from the proceedings and took a step closer to the armored figure. Something wasn’t right. The dirt was disturbed near the armored knight’s fingertips. 

“Hey that’s my corpse to loot.” Nero was pushed out of the way as one of the bigger guys in their group approached the corpse. 

“Damn Johnson I’m sure there will be other loot up ahead.” Another larger guy yelled. 

“Yea Darek but this is obviously to give us a chance further up. I’ve played these games before.” Johnson said. Nero could have said that this wasn’t a game and this dungeon didn’t have a developer who wanted to entertain players. It had an entirely purpose altogether. 

He didn’t say a word. If they guy managed to get the gear, then good for him it would make him an asset. Nero saw a finger twitch and weighed warning the guy. A realization quickly hit him. What if this guy was near the wizard’s level of power? What if he could get his hands on his weapon? 

He met Francis’s eyes and cursed himself that guy recognized the trap and was further away. Nero grabbed Sara Lee’s hand. He met her eyes and she must have seen something. She nodded and sent a text to Jack Stone who was hitting it off with Leeroy Brown. 

Jack continued with his conversation and sent out a group message. Just before the guy could take off the armored guy’s helmet moved when Johnson’s phone beeped. Worse his hand was halfway to his phone when the armored creature opened its eyes. Through the helmet he could see red glowing eyes. 

Its hand shot up catching Johnson at the through with an unbreakable grip. For a few second Johnson kicked and struggled. 

“A shame, I prefer female flesh.” The creature said in a knightly voice. Johnson’s neck snapped and the knight tossed his limp body on the ground. Johnson opened his mouth and screamed. The knight hadn’t broken his neck in a way that killed him only paralyzed him. 

Nero turned from the knight and started running with Francis and Sara Lee. “How fortunate for you all, I’ll be busy with this feast for a few hours.” Johnson continued to scream, and Nero hoped the break had taken all the guy’s feeling away. 

“This can’t be happening it has to be a nightmare.” Sara Lee whimpered. 

“See everyone I told you. This is hell and that was clearly a demon. That boy was punished for following the devil’s way.” Reverend Julius said. 

“Then you should be safe to go back right. You didn’t equip any stats did you.” They heard a shriek and Sara Lee was yanked off her feet by a web. 

A large spider shot out of a dark crevice. Invisible blows hit the monster’s joints and Nero dashed forward knife raised. When the spider hit the ground, he remembered watching Gordon Ramsey on youtube killing a lobster. He found where the brain should be and stabbed. 

His blade slid through its exoskeleton and stabbed true. The fangs from the spider found his thigh and latched on. Nero felt venom hotter than liquid glass flow through his veins. Blood shot out of the wound all over his pant while the wound struggled to close forcing the fangs out. 

Level Up   
Death Cloths I lvl2  
Life Taker I lvl2   
HP 10.71 +10 MP 10.1 +20  
ATK 7.311 +1 DEF 7.171 +0  
SATK 1.01 +3 SDEF 1.01 + 2  
SPD 1.04 +3 ACC 1.01 +2  
FORTUNE 1.01 +1   
Nero Invictus lvl2  
HP 21.82 MP 30.1  
ATK 20.806 DEF 19.392  
SATK 4.04 SDEF 3.03  
SPD 4.04 ACC 3.03  
FORTUNE 2.02

Sparks of red electricity flowed over his skin and he felt a shell surround his body. The knife in his hand felt more comfortable in his grip. A faint red edge appeared over it. Nero could feel the life from the spider leave the corpse and enter his body filling him. The spider fangs fell to the ground and he should feel great. Only that wasn’t the case. All around him people were taken up into the spider’s embrace through the abyssal crack in the ceiling. 

“We have to do something to save them.” Jack yelled. Nero took a breath and steadied himself. 

“We can make a path and that’s it. I’ll take the lead. I can heal.” Sara sent the message and the crowd slowly made their way behind them. Nero led the charge forward towards the light at the end of this long tunnel. Every time he hit a web Francis hit the spider with his force palms. When the spider fell Nero stepped in close. He didn’t care if he was bit. 

He stabbed for the brain and reaped the spider’s lives. Some lasted longer than others. Nero killed everyone they came across. They stopped being a threat after level 3. Their fangs no longer pierced his skin. He entered the next room to find a spider corpse stacked evenly and bundled together with their silk. It had the body of an emancipated woman with long red hair with roots of grey. 

Below the waste it was a lion and a scorpion. Soft fur covered its mobile body with long pincers for tears and a venomous tail at the end. In her hand was a long spear. 

“I’ve been eating bugs for too long, it’s about time I’ve had a proper meal.” Nero’s knife suddenly felt small.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey thank you for reading tell me what you think.


End file.
